€61,000 · 2 people · 6 product categories
and a surprise niche that saved the business.

A UV flatbed printer with a 2×3-metre table (prints on cardboard, plexiglass, wood, ceramics, glass, coated metal), an industrial cutter with automatic feed and a 2×3-metre table for cutting boxes with an oscillating knife and laser technology for precise positioning, a separate engraving laser for wood, acrylic and leather, a large-format banner plotter, a semi-automatic gluing machine for boxes, a laminator, perforation, die-cutting, plus a digitalization package with packaging-design software. The configuration covers 6 product categories from the same workshop: custom cardboard boxes, custom tiles, banners, light boxes, pens/objects, engraving.

The die-cut press with a die is efficient on very large runs, starting from 10,000-50,000 pieces of the same design. Changing the die takes around 12 hours. The die cost varies between €800 and €2,500. The oscillating-knife industrial cutter cuts the cardboard from a digital drawing, with no die, no mechanical setup. The integrated laser technology ensures the precise positioning of the cuts on the sheet. This way, the workshop can accept orders of 5 or 10 custom boxes, impossible with the die because the die cost would consume the whole margin. For a new workshop wanting to enter the small-runs market (e-commerce, artisan products, premium cosmetics), the digital cutter is the correct choice.

A UV flatbed printer with a 2×3-metre table prints directly on rigid substrates, with no transfer, no sublimation, no heat application. That means it can print on cardboard, plexiglass, wood, ceramics (tiles), glass, coated metal, leather and rigid plastic. The UV inks polymerize instantly under UV light, becoming permanent, resistant to scratches, sun and humidity. At the time of delivery to MDG Goldpaper, only 1-2 similar printers were operating commercially in Romania. This is the technology that opened the custom tiles niche, unexpected but very profitable.

Preparing the technical file, the equipment justification, the business plan and the documentation for the bank were done together with the UZINEX team, at no consultancy cost, because the client ordered the equipment from us. The process spanned a few months, in parallel with the search for the space. For formal approval, we had direct interaction with the bank for technical clarifications, to exclude Robert from the mediation. The policy is standard for our clients: if the machines come from us, the funding assistance is included at no cost.

The workshop was initially designed for cardboard packaging. Because the UV flatbed printer accepts rigid substrates of any type, Robert tested printing on tiles, a niche with no direct competition in Romania at the time. Custom ceramic plates, photo mosaics, logo tiles for residential and HoReCa projects — all became a product with a high margin and low competition. The lesson for anyone planning a print workshop: size the machines for maximum versatility, let the market tell you which niche pays best. Diversifying across 6 product categories reduces dependence on a single segment and protects the workshop from seasonal shocks.

The first consultant confirmed the general costs and sent Robert to find his own importers and machines. Two months of online searching with no clear result. The UZINEX team approached the problem the other way around: it explained the compatible technologies, what flow connects the machines in a small workshop, what minimum runs are viable on each technology and what products sell best on the local market. For an entrepreneur with no technical background, the difference is between a price list and an operational business plan. A quote from the testimonial: "You guided me on what technologies to choose, what packaging to produce, what would work better on the market."

The total investment in equipment was €61,000. The Start-Up Nation scheme covers a maximum of 200,000 lei non-refundable per beneficiary, which is around €40,000 at an indicative rate. The difference of around €21,000 was the client's own co-financing, supported through a bank credit for co-financing. For the co-financing credit, we prepared the business plan directly with the bank, at no consultancy cost, which accelerated the approval process and reduced the stress on the founder.

For a new workshop with a founder who has no technical background, a machine breaking down on a day with big orders means a direct loss. The UZINEX team offered technical support on a direct channel, with no call-center, including on flow optimization in the first months of production. A quote from Robert: "You come with the newest machines on the market and, on top of that, completely free, you give ideas, you support them. That is, you really offer free consultancy. I think that helps you the most and I really recommend it."